Hillingdon Council rolls out innovative pothole repair system

The new road-mending material will help prolong the life of the borough's roads and is a more environmentally conscious method of repair.

The system uses a fast-setting waterproof liquid called 'Elastomac' which is quicker to install and roads can be reopened just 10 minutes after the repair. The system uses 80 per cent less energy than traditional asphalt repairs, uses 85 per cent less carbon and halves the overall costs of repairs.

The transition to a quicker and more cost-effective and sustainable repair system will enable the council's highways repairs team to work far more efficiently, with less disruption for residents and road users while contributing to the council's pledge to reduce its carbon footprint.

Cllr Jonathan Bianco, Hillingdon Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Property, Highways and Transport, said: "This is exactly the sort of innovative approach to tackling an out-dated process we're adopting as part of our commitment to being a modern and efficient council, dedicated to creating a more sustainable borough.

"This repair system uses recycled materials, reduces time, energy, costs and the council's carbon footprint, while also minimising disruption to the network for road users. It will also enable us to tackle smaller highways repairs quickly, before they become more problematic."

Traditional pothole repairs can be time-consuming and energy intensive, relying heavily on fossil fuels. The hole needs to be widened and filled with asphalt which is then compacted down.

Elastomac is a made from 70 per cent recycled materials, including road surface shavings and car tyres. This is poured directly into a pothole with no need to widen it, no compaction needed and there's no waste to remove as there's no excavations.

The new pothole repair system will come into operation in Hillingdon this October.

To find out more about highways improvements or to report an issue visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk/highway-issues.